I was promised “a five-mile beach, gangsters, lost love, and a suspension bridge” and I got that, and more. Stonemouth takes a master’s journey through a difficult homecoming, and asks how– and if– justice works in a complicated world. The answer? Yes, though the justice itself is complicated and difficult and no one gets off scot-free.

This is no The Crow Road or The Bridge or Espedair Street, though it treads similar ground with that last – coming of age (and ageing) and the meanings of life, love, and friendship. Stonemouth is not Banks’ best, but it’s pretty bloody good.